Robert Hart, who died in hospital after he was punched to the ground at the Parklife event in Heaton Park, Manchester

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Drugs and alcohol in Liverpool festival-goer Robert Hart’s system could have hidden symptoms of major trauma, an inquest heard.

Wavertree call centre worker Robert, 26, who died after he was punched at the Manchester Park Life festival in June last year, told paramedics he had consumed a mixture of cocaine and alcohol, Manchester Coroner’s court heard.

North West Ambulance Service paramedic, Richard Gornall, who attended to Robert at the festival, said Robert’s Glasgow Coma Score which records level of consciousness, was at a maximum of 15 despite him previously going into cardiac arrest and losing consciousness.

Killian Garvey, a solicitor on behalf of Robert’s father, asked the paramedic whether drugs can affect how a patient appears and questioned whether his GCS score should have been lower.

Mr Garvey said: “When realising that someone has taken drugs, that can affect someone’s presentation. They can appear to be more alert, they can appear to be more presented.

“He had a head ache, dizziness, memory loss, had told you he had taken drugs. I’m wondering whether actually he should have been given a lower GCS score.

“There is no evidence to suggest you factored in his drug consumption.”

However Mr Gornall said the drugs ‘had not affected’ Robert’s score.

He said: “When I conducted the score his verbal response was not confused, he was orientated.

“He was sitting up when we found him, he was fully alert and responsive. He could move on his own.”

The inquest heard that the paramedic followed normal protocol to decide where Robert should be transferred to.

He said Robert did not meet the criteria for a major trauma when he was assessed and he was therefore taken to North Manchester General Hospital after consulting with a senior clinician in the festival’s medical tent over the radio.

The inquest heard how on arriving at North Manchester General, Robert was admitted to the minor injuries unit over the major injuries unit.

Noreen Poole, a senior nurse at the hospital’s emergency department, said they were understaffed on the night Robert was admitted and the major injuries unit was full.

However, Nurse Poole said she had ‘sufficient information’ to make a decision about sending Robert to minor injuries and he had been seen within 44 minutes.

Coroner Meadows said: “Your overall assessment was that this was a patient who is not presenting with any life threatening symptoms.”

She replied: “It was appropriate for him to be seen within two hours.”